McCloud
Summary
In his
article, ‘Vocabulary of Comics’ Scott McCloud argues that so much of what we
see isn’t actually what we are seeing, but the visual representation of things
we know to be true. He argues that it is easier to convey meaning through
visual mediums than written ones because it simplifies everything we have to
say into solid, rich images.
Synthesis
The idea
that information is expressed with more precision when presented in a visual
format rather than a written one is just another argument in conversation form.
We read for texts for a while, we read cartoons until we get comfortable with
both, then we dive in head-first and argue which one does a better job of
getting the point across. Once again, we’re face to face with Stuart Greene.
Personal Opinion
I found
Vocabulary of Comics interesting mainly because of its format and central idea.
It was certainly the right decision on McCloud’s part to present his argument
in comic-form. It drove the point home well. It really plays off the idea that
a picture is worth a thousand words. And if so, McCloud spilled many bottles of
ink while writing this article.
Before You Read
1) My all-time
favorite childhood cartoon is Calvin and Hobbes. I loved Calvin as a child
because, even though I don’t think I consciously realized it, I felt like we
were similar. He was mischievous and witty, and I loved observing the
adventures he and Hobbes would get into. At the time, I had a stuffed moose
that I would talk to, the same way Calvin would talk to Hobbes.
Questions for Discussion and Journaling
1) I think that
adults enjoy cartoons because adult-like themes are touched on heavily in
popular animation. Cartoons are instant. You instantly recognize a face or an
event taking place, which cuts out much description, and saves you time. Adults
are all about time, or the management of it. So with a simplified and quick
format of expression, adults are able to relate and discuss current world
issues without taking hours out of their day to read about them instead. I’m
sure McCloud would agree with this notion that cartoons express all sorts of
themes more efficiently, in terms of time, than other mediums do.
2) By using the
cartoon format to explain his ideas on perception and the way the brain makes
all of its connections, he’s able to reinforce what he’s promoting while
continuing to talk at the same time. If McCloud had decided to tackle the same
subject in the form of writing, it would’ve required a much larger amount of
description and explanation. It would take a lot longer for him to adequately
get his point across.
Applying and Exploring Ideas
3) I think that cartoons will always be associated with
childhood, or at least every stage of life until adulthood is reached. Why this
is, I’m not really sure. It could be that so much of advertisement that’s aimed
at children is in the form of animation instead of film. With that association
so heavily promoted, it’s entirely plausible that adults could view cartoons as
just an advertising strategy for children, instead of the conveying of
information in a time-efficient manner.
1) I think many
academic subjects would benefit from visual imagery. With writing, you detail
how to get from point A to point B. With any sort of photography or visual
imagery, you explicitly show both points A and B. This gives the student a
better understanding of the process, and what it actually looks like. If a
picture is truly worth a thousand words, then the future of education will be
heavily imagery-based.
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